Leavenworth Times: Federal jugde rules in favor of employee claiming retaliation from Emporia State University

A federal judge ruled that Emporia State University retaliated against a former employee who had complained about being a target of a racial slur, the Leavenworth Times has reported (CW: racial slurs).

Angelica Hale was awarded $1 in nominal damages, lost wages, and court costs to be determined by U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree.

Judge Crabtree ruled that Hale had been improperly punished for engaging in activities protected under federal anti-discrimination law.

In 2015, Hale worked as an Administrative Assistant to the dean of ESU's School of Library Information and Management where her husband, Melvin Hale, was a tenure track professor. When Angelica Hale's graduate assistant discovered a racial slur written in a notebook in Hale's locked office in a restricted area teh Hales complained to top-level university administrators. The dean then rescinded a job offer in marketing and eliminated Angelica Hale's position at the time.

Since 2015 the Hale's have been without work despite filing 250 applications as, they believe, the discrimination claims have scared off potential employers.

Melvin Hale was denied a hearing in a similar trial by a jury made up of 7 white jurors and only 1 Black juror, including 1 current ESU student. Melvin Hale also is now facing a defamation lawsuit from an ESU employee he accused of writing the note found in Angelica Hale's office.